“Wow, Richard, you popped my timeshare cherry.”
I’ll tell you a quick story of an experience that had a profound impact on me and showcases how Richard Branson thinks of vision. I have great respect for his vision for his own life and the relentless steps he has taken to make it reality. I was very blessed to see Richard in action and get a glimpse of his vision and how he views the world.
He sees things and opportunities that I (and most people) will probably never see, so he’s fantastic to learn from.
“Wow, Richard, you popped my timeshare cherry.” I didn’t actually say this to him. As I remember the story now, that was the thought that popped into my head.
We were on our way to Necker Island. The “we” is a peer group I was a part of called Maverick1000, an invitation only, global network of industry transforming entrepreneurs. We connect in bold new ways to challenge and collectively support each other’s biggest business goals, engage in reinvigorating experiences and co- create a worldwide multiplier impact. If you don’t know what Necker Island is, it’s the private island Richard owns and calls his primary residence.
Our minds raced with anticipation, it was extremely cold because the airplane’s door wouldn’t close all the way, the plane shook and rattled, and we had this gnawing thought, “Why won’t this airplane door close?” It was probably the smallest plane I have ever been in, having only five seats. All these factors made me uncomfortable.
We were in such close quarters we could talk to the pilot without a headset. This provided a little comfort because the pilot is totally calm, like he’d done this ride 1,000 times before. Finally, off in the distance, we saw the tiny runway.
We went through all this, along with two more island hops via boat, and didn’t even get to see Richard that day. The next day we took a boat to a different island, Moskito Island. Oddly, there are no mosquitoes on the island. It is an ironic name, but I forget the story behind it. This is where we first met Richard. There is nothing much on the island, which is where Richard’s vision came into focus.
We got off the boat, hung out, had drinks, did some stuff and then Richard walked up…in his flip-flops. He looked like he just rolled out of bed. “Is he in his pajamas? You know what, who cares? He owns the island. This is one of his houses. What do you wear in your own house? Your PJs!”
Most people are surprised at how nonchalant and “everyman” Richard is. He just coolly slid in like one of the gang and hung out. As we talked with him, before we even knew it, he was leading us on a tour of the island.
Richard talked about the island, why his group bought it, and what it would become. Then he showed us these under-construction places they were building. There was a lot of construction going on.
I looked over, reached out to one of the other Mavericks and asked, “Are we being pitched to buy a timeshare right now?” And, the Maverick responded, “Yeah, I think so.” I whisper, “Well, shit. I mean, how many people actually get pitched for a timeshare by Richard Branson?”
He was laying out, without any of us realizing it at the time, his vision for what Mosquito Island could be. He talked about his vision so smoothly and casually we weren’t 100 percent sure what was going on.
My entire life before that, I had never been to a timeshare presentation, but this time I didn’t care because I realized we were privileged to be there. His clarity, and how he communicated, was amazing to witness. In his mind, these were not timeshares; they were opportunities for an elite group of individuals to gather close to where he was. It was magnificent to see where his mind was going with it all. He saw what the community would become, not what he was going to make today or what the money might do for him later.
Of course, he is a billionaire, so he thinks about money differently than you and I. It is the importance and clarity of his vision I want you to take away from this story. It was a vision for the whole British Virgin Islands and what they could become.
Before this transformative experience with Richard and the new vision it set me on, I had felt a twinge of hollowness. I had been just concentrating on the online advertising business. However, afterwards, I felt this tug to start working with other businesses, to start coaching. It was the first spark that would grow into the new vision and path for my life. I hadn’t known the extent of how much I had been muddling along. I felt energized and optimistic about this new direction. I wanted to expand my mindset beyond what was going on today to where I was going and what I could accomplish in the future.
This experience started me on this different path. I hope just by reading it you will believe at the deepest level how powerful and important it is to get clarity for the vision you have for your life. If you can believe this, you have already taken the first step toward going through some of these difficult exercises and investing the time to get clarity on your vision. A clear vision is foundational to achieving fulfillment in your life.
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Mark Your Calendars
We have a special LinkedIn Audio Event tomorrow at 10amCST called ‘Building and Protecting Your Brand with NFTs and the Metaverse’.
We know this whole space can be confusing and it’s a bit of the wild wild west.
Which is why we’ve gathered some crypto, NFT, blockchain, Metaverse experts AND lawyers to discuss. Nobody is talking about how you protect your brand through this Web3 journey and we’ve got lots of questions!
Our guests include:
???? Brian Fanzo
Brian is a digital futurist keynote speaker who translates the trends of tomorrow to inspire change today. He’s been recognized as a Top 20 Digital Transformation Influencer, a Top 50 Most-Mentioned User by CMOs on Twitter, and a Top 25 Social Business Leader of the Future by The Economist.
???? Francesca Witzburg
Francesca is a Trademark & Copyright Attorney for Brands, Entrepreneurs, Founders and Celebrities in the Real Life and Metaverse. Her practice includes trademark and brand protection, enforcement, strategy, and monetization.
???? Patrick Murphy
Patrick has been in the blockchain world for over a decade and is the Founder and Partner of Agility Metapreneurs which offers best-in-class consultancy for companies and individuals launching businesses and projects in the web3 new technology arena. He’s an advisor to Rev3al (rev3al.io) where REV3AL Digital Copyright Protection & Anti-Counterfeit Technology protects artists, creators, and owners of Intellectual Property across the digital spectrum.
???? Joshua Hale
Joshua is a Crypto Lawyer in the world of NFT, DAO, Crypto, and startups. He has a background with high-technology telecommunications, intellectual property, and international law, having worked with Fortune 500 companies, including Etna.Network, 0xpad.io, AT&T, SBC, Pacific Century CyberWorks, Cable & Wireless, and Hong Kong Telecom.
